Well pretty sure I lost a fork seal last night. Riding home hit a pot hole next thing I know I am covered in oil and so is the tank and front fender, plus can hear what sounds like the spring rattling. Question is in the manual it says you need a special tool, do you really need it and how hard is it to do them. Have changed the oil before but never have done any seals. Anyone that has you help and adive is appreciated. Thanks

 

Assuming you have a regular fork, you don't need any special tools for replacing a seal. They are probably talking about the seal driver; some people have made a driver with pvc pipe, but the main thing is to be careful that you don't damage it and drive it level.

I'm pretty sure you don't have to take the forks completely apart. To do that, you need a long 6mm allen head socket, preferably air-driven because it spins.

 

Okay I call.

You do need to take the forks apart ( upper and lower ) the remove the defective seal.

 

thanks. Do not see how I would not have to remove the forks but hey that would be a plus. I have not had a chance to look into it, it may be the top screw also. Seemed all the oil came out of the top. Lower legs were clean and the tank and my body/face got all the oil. What size pvc pipe do you use to drive the seal in?

 

I don't remember. But I remember I forgot to bring it with me when I went to my friend's house to install it ...

 

Well... if you have WideGlide style forks, you pull the fork from the tree, use a pick to pull the seal after removing the dust cover, then you use a properly selected PVC fitting and piece of pipe to drive a new seal back in. If you have any miles on the bike, change the dust covers too... if they haven't cracked already they will.

C#